Every adult knows that life consists of tradeoffs, that is, recognizing the difference between the real and the ideal and choosing the possible over the illusory pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
In politics the ability to make such choices is essential to winning elections. Barack Obama's reputation for pragmatism was rooted in that understanding. It allowed him to winaccomplish a great deal, even if it was not as much as he or we had hoped for.
Nancy Pelosi's success in advancing progressive legislation in the face of a hide-bound conservative opposition consists entirely of pragmatic choices, and she certainly realizes that alienating one third of the electorate (i.e. those who self-identify as moderates) by publicly embracing a hard-left agenda will hand the election to Trump and shrink the big tent Democratic party into a left-wing version of Trump's MAGAT-infested base.
So, my fellow progressives, stop acting like spoiled brats shouting "But I want!" and work to win the election instead of drawing red lines that play into Trump's hand.
No comments:
Post a Comment